Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay

Transcription

1 Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay By: Clay Best and Holly Power

2 In 1608, John Smith explored the Chesapeake Bay for the first time along with a crew of 14 members. They originally nicknamed the body of water the Great Shellfish Bay for the massive amounts of oysters scattered across its edge. Although these men traveled to America hoping to discover gold, they found a unique type of treasure known as the Chesapeake Bay oyster. This shellfish seemed to exist in never-ending quantities, so the sailors immediately began a trading system for this precious item. Chesapeake Bay oysters were sent to the Queen of England for their delicious taste. Known as Chesapeake Gold, Oysters have always been huge economic factor on the bay. For now more than 400 years, the Chesapeake Bay has provided the oyster to thousands of customers; however, the oyster has not always been an easy item to find. After their original discovery, the oyster was overfished on an extremely wide scale, resulting in a quick decrease in number. The shellfish seemed to come in such large quantities that its demise was unfathomable. Oysters were sent in the trainloads all over the country and being shoveled out of the bay. In the late 1950s the disease MSX, or Multinucleate Sphere X, was brought to the Chesapeake Bay oysters, almost completely wiping out the population. It is believed to reside in many Pacific oysters, and was brought to the Chesapeake Bay by man. Following the outbreak of MSX that resulted in a steep decrease of oysters and an outbreak of Dermo, or Perkinsus marinus, occurred in the 1980s. Because of many cold, and rainless years in a row, the disease Dermo began expanding upstream, and resulted in the Chesapeake Bay. Because the oysters were just recovering from MSX, they were already rather low in numbers. The shellfish became extremely close to extinction. However, laws restricting fishing of oysters were put in place in an attempt to save the population. The Chesapeake Bay oysters have begun a rebound and are

3 growing stronger than ever, as they are now immune to these diseases. The battle to save the oyster population is not complete yet, as the number of oysters in the Chesapeake Bay is about 1% of what it once was. When John Smith sailed upon an untouched bay, the oysters could filter the entire bay in three days. Now, with an estimated one percent of historic levels, it takes a year to filter the bay. It is now our generation s job to work towards restoring this precious shellfish. The Crassotrea Virginica, more commonly known as the Chesapeake Bay oyster, is one of bays best products. These seemingly small creatures have a big impact on the Bay. Oysters are filter feeders. Oysters suck in water and filter the detritus and plankton from the water, consume this plankton, then release the new, pure water. This simple process can allow an oyster to filter as much as fifty gallons a day. Through disease and overharvesting the oyster population has declined to almost 1% of what it once was. One of the most successful things being done to the oyster population is Oyster restoration. Oyster Restoration projects have been started up all over the Chesapeake Bay. These projects start with young oysters that are given to people who live on the water and are grown in protection from prey. Once they have reached a certain age, the program, which runs the oyster restoration, comes and collects these raised oysters and put them on protected reefs. These reefs are built on either concrete balls or dead oyster shells. While at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the Chesapeake Bay fellows cleaned and transported oyster shells that would soon be made into reefs. These now clean oyster shells are put into a no harvest zone. This zone protects oysters from being taken out of the water and sold. A new business has been introduced because of the oyster catch being as little as was in the last thirty

4 years, and this business was aquaculture. Aquaculture is the scientific farming of oysters. Scientists in laboratories gradually warm the water temperature to trick the oysters believing that it is an early spring causing them to propagate. Then the oyster release their eggs and sperm into the water hoping that they are able to produce offspring. When they meet these small oysters are called spat. The spat floats through the water until it attaches itself to a hard place. These oysters are strategically planted. Once the oysters are big enough, the baby oysters are taken outside too what looks like long bathtubs. They are place in these tubs and water is pumped into the tubs where the oysters filter it and clean water is put back into the Chesapeake Bay. As soon as the oysters are strong enough to be put into the water, they are. There they stay and filter the water in a natural environment but stay protected by nets. These oysters have been genetically modified to not reproduce and go through spring without reproducing. After the oysters reach the size of two inches they are pulled from the water and packaged and shipped around the world because of their delicious taste. Through both Aquaculture and oyster restoration the water is being filtered, leading to a cleaner and healthier Bay. In January of 2007, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation upload information on an experiment they were conducting entitled Virginia Spat-on-Shell Experiment. They used special aquaculture procedures to create an unnatural developing area that consisted of oyster shells resting at the bottoms of tanks. Experimenters allowed the spat to attach to these oyster shells and observed them grow. About 12 spat latched onto each oyster shell as they began to grow into mature oysters. This technique for raising spat proved to be extremely efficient and profitable,

5 because the oysters could begin development at a younger age and the reefs formed in better conditions than a natural reef might have. This experiment transformed into a technique of growing oysters used all along the Chesapeake Bay. The survival rates of the oysters used within this experiment were hopeful but ranging very widely. It may not be the solution to restoring the oyster population completely; however, it was most definitely a step in the right direction. Although many more years and efforts are necessary for the oyster population to reach its maximum potential, organizations such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Virginia Institute for Marine Sciences are helping the oysters to reach this goal. From over 100 thousand tons of oysters in the 1880s to about 10 thousand tons of oysters in the 1980s, the oyster population has been severely struggling to stay alive. This number of current oysters, however, is beginning a slow but steady increase. It is our job to restore the Chesapeake Bay's oysters, not only to help keep the Bay clean, but also to save a population on the brink of extinction.

Cortes and Pizarro, Columbian Exchange, and Colonial Empires Arrival of Spanish to Mexico Cortes came in 1519 Claimed land for Spain s king and queen He took 11 ships, 100 sailors, 500 soldiers, cannons,

Chapter 4: How and Why Europeans Came to the New World Section 4.3 - Ocean Crossing When sailors cross the ocean, they need a way to stay on course. They have no landmarks to guide them in the open sea.

Prince Henry the Navigator 1394-1460 Portugal Sponsored voyages of exploration along west African coast; supported study of navigation Motivation: To spread Christianity; to establish trade in Africa to

Name Date Mastering the Content Assessment: China Develops a New Economy Circle the letter next to the best answer. 1. What caused Chinese farmers to move from northern to southern China during the Tang

The Struggles and Hardships of Early Jamestown In 1607, a group of wealthy englishmen called The Virginia Company sailed across the ocean to the New World. Once the settlers got there, they immediately

Leif Eriksson Leif Eriksson was a Viking from Greenland. Vikings were combative, plundering seafarers or pirates. He sailed the northern Atlantic Ocean and settled briefly in North America which he called

The Age of European Explorations 1400-1800 By the 1400 s Europeans were in contact with Africans, Asians, and Americans. This is known as the GLOBAL AGE. Wherever Europeans went, they brought their culture

Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication and Exchange Key Concept 2.3 Breaking down the standard With the organization of large-scale empires, the volume of long-distance trade increased dramatically

Traveling Off the Map: The Lewis and Clark Expedition Chapter One Thomas Jefferson and the West. Questions this chapter will answer:. How would the West make the United States stronger and safer? How would

Squid Dissection: From Pen to Ink Through squid dissection, students will examine some of the unique features which have allowed squid to adapt and thrive in Southern California waters and throughout the

Chapter 1: A new co-operative For teachers' ETHIOPIA IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF COFFEE IN AFRICA. MORE THAN 15 MILLION PEOPLE DEPEND ON COFFEE FARMING TO SURVIVE. Tadesse Meskela is a large, friendly man.

Mix the Old with the New Chefs in busy restaurants do a lot of different things. They check the inventory of ingredients used for each popular dish. They may supervise a kitchen staff, making sure their

A Bureau of Business Economic Impact Analysis From the University of Nebraska Lincoln The 2006 Economic Impact of Nebraska Wineries and Grape Growers Dr. Eric Thompson Seth Freudenburg Prepared for The

ychemical Innovative Mixology Combining science and the art of making cocktails is an ever growing trend in the world of mixology. The creation of our completely clear savory apple cocktail which was served

Prince Henry the Navigator 1394-1460 Portugal Sponsored voyages of exploration along west African coast; supported study of navigation Motivation: To spread Christianity; to establish trade in Africa to

Grapes of Class 1 Investigative Question: What changes take place in plant material (fruit, leaf, seed) when the water inside changes state? Goal: Students will investigate the differences between frozen,

Lesson 1 Summary Lesson 1: The Voyages of Columbus Use with pages 134 138. Vocabulary expedition a journey made for a special purpose colony a settlement far from the country that rules it Columbian Exchange

The Qin and Han Dynasties Four Chinese Dynasties Section Overview This section describes the first civilizations in China and how the geography of the region, especially its rivers, mountains, and deserts,

Maple Vocabulary Name Maple syrup is an annual crop. It is made each year. The sugar content of sap is about 2% so it takes considerable effort and energy to concentrate the sap into the attractive sweet

Background Information: Shellfish Basics Shellfish What are shellfish anyway? Commonly, the term shellfish refers to an aquatic invertebrate animal with a shell; especially: an edible mollusk or crustacean.

Name Date Block Mesopotamia, Sumer and Babylon Webquest Directions: Answer the questions using www.mesopotamia.co.uk AND YOUR OWN background knowledge! Click on Mesopotamia, then Geography from the left

The Arrival of the Spanish Mexico 1519 Peru 1526 The strangers bodies are completely covered, so that only their faces can be seen. Their skin is white, as if it were made of lime. They have yellow hair,

Variations in the Test of Separator Cream. One of the greatest problems that has presented itself to the creamery patrons and managers of the West-Central states for the past few years is that of the cause

Sugar Cane in Costa Rica THE PROCESS By Corrine Anderson, 2014 I arrived in Costa Rica in the late spring of 2009, and on my first ride up to the town of San Isidro, above Grecia, where I rented a charming

Photosynthesis: How do plants get energy? Student Advanced Version In this lab, students explore the process of photosynthesis in spinach leaves. As oxygen is produced, the density of the leaves change

Aztec and Inca Review Why take the risk? The Spanish took the great risk of exploring unknown land because: They wanted to obtain more gold and silver. They wanted to claim more land. They wanted to spread

Barry Nash North Carolina State Seafood Laboratory North Carolina Sea Grant College Program SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION National and Local Preferences Statistics In 2007, Americans consumed $22.7 billion worth

Unit 3 Lesson 3: The Development of the Southern Colonies 1 Jamestown Review 1. About what year was it founded? 2. Who founded it? 3. Why was it founded? 4. Where was it located? 5. What were two problems

Harvesting Soybean John Nowatzki Extension Agricultural Machine Systems Specialist Field studies in soybean harvesting have shown that a 10 percent or higher harvest loss is not uncommon, but studies also

World History I SOL WH1.2 Mr. Driskell A. Modern people are called homosapiens, meaning wise man. B. Homo-sapiens first existed in East Africa, several hundred thousand years ago. C. Home-sapiens spread

Experiment # Lemna minor (Duckweed) Population Growth Introduction Students will grow duckweed (Lemna minor) over a two to three week period to observe what happens to a population of organisms when allowed

Name: Date: Per. Chapter 1 Study Guide New World Beginnings: 33,000 B.C-A.D. 1769 You need to know the historical significance of the following key terms. I suggest you make flashcards. 1. Marco Polo 2.

Assignment #3: Lava Lite!! This activity entails making a lava lamp. PROCEDURE: GOALS: 1) Fill a glass cup with three inches of water. 2) Put about _ of an inch of oil in the water. Notice what the oil

Photosynthesis: How do plants get energy? Student Version In this lab, students explore the process of photosynthesis in spinach leaves. As oxygen is produced, the density of the leaves change and they

Chapter 3 From Hunters and Gatherers to Farmers How did the development of agriculture change daily life in the Neolithic Age? 3.1. Introduction Scientists have identified and studied five important groups

ARTIFACT A Olmec urban development was made possible by earlier advances in agriculture. The staples of Mesoamerican diet- corn, beans and squash- were domesticated by 3500BCE. The ability of farmers to

Colonial Vocabulary colony- place that is settled at a distance from the country that governs (rules) it colonist- a person who lives in a colony Patroon System- the way the Dutch tried to get more people

TO: FROM: Board of County Commissioners Sara Humphrey DATE: November 6, 2017 Pender County Request for Board Action SUBJECT: Resolution in Support of a North Carolina Satellite Facility at Blake Farm SUMMARY:

Economics 535 First Market Report The structure and its change of soybean food industry in Japan Keita Fukunaga 1. Market Overview Japan has been the biggest customer market for the US for more than 50

Beginning of Man Stone Age Vocabulary Paleolithic Era DEF: Old Stone Age CONNECT: Stone Age time tools were poorly made of stone Neolithic Era DEF: New Stone Age CONNECT: time tools were carefully made

4.2 (page 1) Science Projects For ALL Students Chromatography Is black ink really black? In this activity, you will use chromatography to determine if black ink is made up of only 1 color. Chromatography

Psa and Italian Kiwifruit Orchards, 2011 The Psa-research programme in New Zealand draws on knowledge and experience gained from around the world particularly in Italy, where ZESPRI, Plant & Food Research

Government All Maya people shared the same religious beliefs, had the same social structure, and used the same written language. However, they lived in different city-states (a Maya city and the land it

KEY Chapter 2: The Stone Age and Early Cultures Section 1: The First People Big Idea Prehistoric people learned to adapt to their environment, to make simple tools, to use fire, and to use language. Scientists

The Southern Colonies Chapter 3, Section 4 Factors that influenced the development of the Southern Colonies Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia were Southern Colonies. Factors

Course: US History/Ms. Brown Homeroom: 7th Grade US History Standard # Do Now Day #53 Aims: SWBAT identify and explain the causes of the Boston Tea Party DO NOW 1. Which taxes were levied, or raised by

GUIDED READING The Columbian Exchange and Global Trade A. Analyzing Causes and Recognizing Effects As you read this section, note some cause-and-effect relationships relating to the European colonization

Can You Tell the Difference? A Study on the Preference of Bottled Water [Anonymous Name 1], [Anonymous Name 2] Abstract Our study aims to discover if people will rate the taste of bottled water differently

Geography Boot Camp Quiz 1 5 minutes to study, then we begin! You ll have 15 minutes to complete the quiz. Remain seated and quiet until I collect the quiz. There is absolutely NO talking during the quiz,

EUROPEAN SOCIETIES AROUND 1492 OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors that led European countries to explore the world Factors that encouraged exploration Crusades Growth of commerce Population increase Rise

The Central Valley Winegrape Industry and the World Market for Wine Daniel A. Sumner University it of California i Agricultural l Issues Center January 5, 211 The Central Valley is a Central Part of the

Amazing Ice Cubes Floating and Sinking Brief description This short lesson is intended to be used as part of a unit on water or properties of matter, or simply as a fun and motivating lesson. Unlike nearly

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WINE AND WINE GRAPES ON THE STATE OF TEXAS 2015 A Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP Report Updated January 2017 This study was commissioned by the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association

Administrative and technical viewpoints are often widely divergent, but mutuality of purpose should provide adequate and effective arrangements whereby the technical staff and operators clearly understand

The Age of Exploration Europe Encounters the World Why did explorations happen when they did? A variety of factors all came together to make the time period (1450-1700) the age of exploration Some of these

In this experiment, you will analyze the purity of your crude and recrystallized aspirin products using a method called thin layer chromatography (TLC). You will also determine the percent yield of your

PickYourOwn.org Where you can find a pick-your-own farm near you! Click on the printer icon that looks like this: (at the top left, to the right of save a copy ) to print! See www.pickyourown.org/alllaboutcanning.htm

unit 221 (2FP2) Prepare shellfish for basic dishes As well as being super tasty, shellfish provide protein, vitamins and minerals, are low in fat and a wonderful source of the Omega-3 fatty acid. Better